Finally, with the assistance of a skeleton , study the components of the vertebral column: 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae, the sacrum (5 fused sacral vertebrae), and the coccyx (4 fused coccygeal vertebrae). Consult a text or an atlas to learn about general similarities and differences between cervical, lumbar, and thoracic vertebrae.